Blood on (not in) chicken eggs.

[French Otter]

I am a very worried first time chicken owner. I bought three girls and one cock (New Hampshire Bantams) from a poultry show here in Brittany, at the end of Feb08. They were slow to come into lay, and one (Milly) seemed younger than the others, so I wasn't worried. Then one day an egg had blood all over it. I thought it must be Milly coming into lay and as nothing else looked wrong I thought that it might happen first time and hoped for the best. Our French vet does not take much interest in poultry! Getting three eggs a day has rarely happned since, but there was no more blood. Until yesterday, and then again today. I have not been able to check the girls' vents as yet, but from a distance nothing looks wrong. Please can someone advise me as to what might be the trouble?

[tim&fatima]

I've only had chickens since last august. but i have a good friend who raises chickens as a side line.

And one of ours produced her first few eggs with a smear of blood on them. He told me it was that the hen had strained as they were laying. and there was nothing to worry about.
After two or three smeared eggs I have not had anymore (smears ) since.

there are a lot of knowlegable people on here that may know better?
( interesting thread i'll watch this closely)

[theabsinthefairy]

Our rhode girls came into moult about a month ago, and effectively stopped laying for about 3 weeks, and have just started again, and we had a couple of eggs with smears on.
It is just the 'start up' process for new layers and after a gap.
They should settle down very quickly after getting into regular laying.

It didn't help that the first few eggs were enormous double yolkers.